Visual Studio 2013 Survey

On October 17th 2013, we announced the General Availability (GA) of Visual Studio 2013. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their thoughts while testing the pre-releases of Visual Studio 2013. While we read and consider all feedback from our community (Connect, UserVoice and Send-a-Smile), as with most development projects we could only implement some of the features and suggestions.

Since the GA, customers have adopted the product at a rate that is higher than that of Visual Studio 2012! Now that you have had about one month to use the product, we’d like to hear what you think about it. Let us know your impressions by taking the Visual Studio 2013 RTM survey.

We do these surveys with most of our public releases, and they help us gain deep insights on how we are doing with core areas such as quality, reliability, performance and overall satisfaction.

In this survey, we’re also looking for your opinions on areas such as .NET compatibility, project/solution compatibility and project type usage. Your input will help us continue to improve Visual Studio as we start planning for our next version. We greatly appreciate your feedback.

We just completed our recommendation for VS 2013 and decided to stay with VS 2010 for as long as possible due to the missing setup and deployment project.

5 years ago

Joel Wilson

All comparisons to VS2012: I like the project/solution compatibility and the new "peek". The UI is a little better and TFS integration is a little better. One annoyance is that the Intellisense doesn't refresh if I have multiple projects open (in different instances of VS2013). Lets say I have an MVC project in one window and a class lib open in another (the MVC project references the class lib). If I make changes to the class lib, I have to restart my VS2013 session for my MVC project or Intellisense doesn't pick up the changes. It compiles fine, but the editor reports errors (squiggly red lines) and changes to properties/methods/interfaces, etc. don't appear.

5 years ago

Henry

I like the new Dark theme in VS because it relieves my eyes, it would be great to do the same in Office and all Windows. You should take that into account, many of us, programmers, spend 12 hours a day or more in front of a monitor (or two), in few years I will not see very clear.

I agree with the other guys, bring back setup and deployment project, but, do we really need it? Now you download projects from Windows Store, right?

5 years ago

Henry

I meant, applications, not projects from Windows Store.

5 years ago

Ben

For the most part I'm happy with VS2013. An area for improvement I would ask for is an improved debugging experience with Lambdas and LINQ in general. Also, keep up the language evolution. I love new language features!

5 years ago

Kobie Williams

I love the fact that on the toolbar you can choose what web browser to run your web app from. Also, I love the new color scheme. I am new to wpf but I am getting the same error in 2013 that I was getting in 2010 when I run the application and that is "application cannot run in the same process…".

5 years ago

Ibrahim Cohen

InstallShield LE is extremely LIMITED, can't run custom action, won't allow SQL scripts, can't set up a project for Updating. Its just a major nightmare. At this pace I will start looking away from MS Visual Studio. I mean its like selling a great sports car with a very poor engine!!. What a disappointment.

5 years ago

Sam

I love VS2013. I like the default look and feel of it (more like 2010), I LOVE being able to edit and continue in 64 bit code (sold me immediately), and it has other handy features like seeing all references to methods and properties (which I guess is now disabled by default).

Really liking all the changes. I'd love to see improved debugging experience with Lambdas and LINQ like Ben suggested.

5 years ago

Ted

A roadmap of upcomming 1 to 2 year changes to Visual Studio and .NET would be great.

This would help our plan for the ~50% our apps which do not fit the app store and do not fit cloud based version control.

5 years ago

John

For most of our projects we will be staying with 2010 because of the loss of the setup and deployment project. InstallShield LE is terrible.

I like VS 2013, I can do what I want to do better than before. My development work is mostly C++ native, little UI, very basic in a sense. Minor problem: I miss the ability, when debugging STL, to set a watch on a vector element by means of array index. I can inspect vector elements in other ways (autos, hovering), but miss the opportunity to keep a watch.

5 years ago

Mike B

Fix a windows deployment to. Don't care if it's the old setup and deployment, something by flexarea, or something else, but what we have to work with now is such rubbish I wish I had never upgraded

I use WiX for my installers and it suits me just fine because I'm not afraid of editing XML files.

5 years ago

Dean J.

@Robert

Don't you just love the lying? Look at this comment on their "Release to web" post (comment at the bottom currently), where they say this: "We’ve listened to the feedback from the community, and released an updated installer to get Visual Studio 2013 on machines with older versions of IE."

Don't you just love how they now throw around the phrase "we've listened to the feedback" …and the phrase has no honest value anymore (when coming from them) ??

5 years ago

Robert

@Dean J.

To be fair they are not the only ones, but nonetheless the last few years have really shown just how much they really have no intention of listening to their customers. The whole deal around developing the minor upgrade to vista in the form of windows 7 was one of the largest we're not listening while saying we are campaigns I have ever seen. I and many others feel the OS was a success, but it appears to be that they believe now it is a viable manner to use for all their products. It's clear that they have other agendas that they are pushing with only financial motives to do so, selling ones self down the river is the a very poor business plan. It might be argued that they are trying to fight obsolescence but at the cost of burning your current bridges it is a very poor decision.

5 years ago

Davide

I teach Information Systems at a College in Canada where we are licensed to use all of Microsofts software and see no advantage to upgrading our labs to VS2012 or 2013 even though we could do so at no additional cost. That goes for Windows 8 as well.

We teach/develop ASP.NET Intranet systems and have no use for Windows Store Apps which is the only real new functionality the new versions offer use. The new extra features offered is more than offset by the extremely poor usability of the UI and its general poor responsiveness, every version just gets slower and slower and we see the dreaded hourglass more and more.

We are going to give Microsoft one more chance to get things right on their next release and if we get another SCREAMING METRO MONOCHROME UGLY GLYPH WINDOWS APP we will switch to another product. Microsoft has more than proven they don't care one iota about their customers or their needs and are driving their own agenda for whatever reasons, which is their right.

Unfortunately I do not see much chance of them changing direction on their new glyph obsession.

When I first opened the Windows 8.1 mail app I took one look at the new glyph menu and all I could think was "You know, some of us DO still know how to read", and was amused to find I was honestly insulted, but then I thought about the latest 'common core' standards and new educational methods…

But even with all that taken into account, the glyphs themselves might not have resulted in such a backlash if they were at least recognizable or relevant to the option they are trying to represent.

Icons still poor, non-standard, and indistinguishable. Personal taste is irrelevant, they're just unusable.

6.5GB(!!) for minimal install.

Sign in to on-line account

Ugly:

Still no built-in way to turn of upper-case menu names.

Can't seem to remove the notifications, feedback icon, or Sign in buttons on top-right.

I don't know why, but my eyes feel strained after using it (even with lower-case menus, and no toolbar).

Verdict:

Not as bad as 2012 (but that would require more effort to make worse, than to improve).

Apart from the UI (which is only a slight improvement from 2012), it's almost the same. I've used it for a week, but I've yet to find any new features that I would miss at all if we stayed on VS2010.

For a second time I am unable to recommend upgrading, as there are no compelling reasons… and cost isn't an issue.

It seems that, like Office, Visual Studio has peaked years ago and you're making unwanted superficial changes to make people upgrade.

This is what happens when Microsoft has no major competitors to copy, chase, or cheat.

5 years ago

Andrew

Typical of Microsoft … Ignore the community that use your products!!!

Bring back the Setup & Deployment project. While we might "play" with Windows Store apps etc the majority of serious developers write / update commercial software that will never go near the store. I used to like Installshield but the new LE is absolutely awful.

5 years ago

alex

@Davide, @Charles Ryan:

I can open up most unknown applications on various operating systems, all having different toolbar/menu icons, and I can (almost instinctively) recognise their intent.

Visual Studio 2012/13 is the extreme exception to that! And I've been using VS since, well.. when MSVC was 16bit.

The decision makers at Microsoft are too arrogant and ignorant to accept they have made a mistake, as all humans do. They then offend us with posts like this! Look at the one for VS2012 – it makes you wonder if the comments are actually displayed to them!

5 years ago

Jaime Andino

I've been using VS2013 for the last 3 days and I have to say that I like it. Integration with TFS is better, easier.

For the time being, congrats.

5 years ago

Kerem

It is at best a 'disgusting' choice to include codelens and peek definition features in RC and preview but not in RTM Professional edition.

5 years ago

B. Clay Shannon

"we announced the General Availability (GA)"

Lest you get the peachy-keeners bashing you on the noggin with statues of Stonewall Jackson, please be advised that "GA" stands for Georgia. Stonewall is the General they want to know about, having never heard of this General "Availability."

5 years ago

Alan Burkhart

Overall I like it – though no more than VS 2010. What I don't like is the darker UI. Please at least give us the option of using the earlier icons for cut, paste, etc. These are hard to discern.

5 years ago

ROS

Thanks, I will keep VS2010 waiting for another try.

If I will make similar UI like VS2013, I will lose my customers. It is enough some of them have to use O365 in browser, and hate it an every day.

Give back colors, give back clear borders between controls etc. And first read UX Guide you published in 2010.

5 years ago

Anonymous

We're sticking to VS2010 until we can covert your installers to a decent tool like WiX because InstallShield LE just doesn't suit our needs and we can't justify paying a stupidly high licensing fee every year. Thanks for leaving us high and dry.

5 years ago

Konamiman

Please add native support for Mercurial in Visual Studio!

5 years ago

Farai

I like the UI color combination especially the blue theme, it doesnt hurt the eyes and should rather stay like that. Also i like the peek definition and references above method names if project is on TFS it also shows you who did what and their comments which is good for team based development

We use that to prioritize feature requests – based on the level of interest from the entire Visual Studio user community.

Keep the feedback coming!

Thanks!

Maria

5 years ago

MariaGh [MSFT]

@Jan – can you, please create an item on visualstudio.uservoice.com? This will let others vote on it, allowing us to see the community's interest in this!

Thanks!

5 years ago

Pat

I like all the new features — they have been a real timesaver for me at times. And while it works great on a developer uber-box, I've seen it unusable on a lesser machine.

Many of my favorite addins won't install on 2013 without some manifest hacking because the developers haven't been able to update them for the new version. Since rapid spins are now the new norm, it would be nice if it were fixed so this won't be necessary.

5 years ago

Ala Shiban

@Kerem, For Preview and RC, we released all SKUs (Including Pro and Ultimate). In most cases users get the full fledged Ultimate SKU to try out the breadth of new things in Visual Studio. CodeLens was and still is an Ultimate feature since Preview/RC, and Peek on Pro+ SKUs. If something isn't showing up and it should be, do file a bug, and we'll look into it

5 years ago

Rick

What Robert said:

"Bring back the setup and deployment project, you really are not listening to your developers stop lying that you are.

Adding my voice to the chorus: bring back the setup and deployment project. Outsourcing this vital element of internal software releases is not an acceptable choice. Whatever incorrect reasoning that was applied to this decision needs to be identified and understood, then purged so as to not be repeated. From the outside this appears to be a giveaway at my expense to the stakeholders of a company that clearly does not have the ability to provide a simple packager. Whatever promises that were made between them and Microsoft cannot possibly have been met given the lack of the most basic utility and the widespread dissatisfaction with what we have now.

5 years ago

Peter

No migrateable Setup – very, very, VERY bad. Have to stay with VS 2010

5 years ago

Anjan Kant

In Visual Studio 2013 have missed the feature of package & deployment, very sad. It has introduced very most passinating feature to support reponsive design to work on differernt devices (iPhone, iPad, smartphone phone) etc.

In Visual Studio 2013 have missed the feature of package & deployment, very sad. It has introduced very most passinating feature to support reponsive design to work on differernt devices (iPhone, iPad, smartphone phone) etc.

VS 2013 has some really nice new features, but taking away the setup and deployment project is simply unconscionable. A powerful tool like Visual Studio should have it's own installer. Aside from the problem created for new projects, upgrading an existing project goes from a simple task to becoming another PROJECT. What ever happened to servicing customers? If we developers treated our customers like Microsoft treats us, we would be out of business.

5 years ago

Massimo

Please, remove InstallShield LE Project from VS 2013.

It's a shame and it makes me crazy!

5 years ago

Deon - MSFT

Thank you all for completing this survey. The response was truly amazing!

The team will now analyze each of the responses to the survey. Your feedback will then help guide our features and priorities for the next version of Visual Studio.

Thanks for taking the time to share your opinions and experiences.

Deon Herbert

Visual Studio Program Management Team

5 years ago

CodeShop

"We just completed our recommendation for VS 2013 and decided to stay with VS 2010"

SAME HERE we have hundreds of installations. This is CRIMINAL and you should be SUED

5 years ago

Sally

"We use [user voice] to prioritize feature requests – based on the level of interest from the entire Visual Studio user community."

You're joking, right??

If you really are using it, then you've got the column sorting the wrong way!

5 years ago

Hieronymous

After over 15 years of Microsoft development I feel that the end is nigh. The removal of the old Setup and Deployment projects and their replacement with InstallShield LE is the final straw.

5 years ago

Justin

Also sticking to VS 2010. Why would anyone switch when it already has a streamlined, effective interface and all the setup and deployment you need? I don't know what you were thinking, but it clearly involved putting customers on mute.

5 years ago

Fernando

Bring up the setup and deployment project.

5 years ago

Fed up

To be honest, Visual Studio is the only reason I stay on Windows. I can't continue to use an IDE that is no longer updated (VS2010).

VS2012+13 are a disaster – I've tried them each for several weeks, they're less usable, and I don't like the direction MS are going, and their ignorance to customers.

It's a shame, I used to like developing under Windows.

5 years ago

Fed up

"Your feedback will then help guide our features and priorities for the next version of Visual Studio"

We've heard that one before.

5 years ago

Serge Dornseiffer

We just started to migrate from VS2010 to VS2013 and have like many other here discovered that Setup is missing. The Installshield LE is UNUSABLE. I rarely complain about MS, am a big fan of MS and live with issues that we all face daily, but this dear VS Studio Team is inacceptable. Don't take away tools that are working fine without providing something decent instead.

InstallShield the way you deliver, is no good. The only way to make setup work is by buying the 2000 EUR Version.

Please Microsoft, remain professional and do you what you always did, give developpers tools, otherwise you will end up like many others who did not listen to their customers. You lost already the Phone Battle, do you want to loose the Developper battle as well.

Customers don't forget.

5 years ago

Richard

Stupid question but a running instance of VS 2013 does NOT appear in windows 8.1 taskbar!

5 years ago

Jesh

Bring back the setup and deployment project

5 years ago

Aris Green

Visual Studio developers need to learn you to create their own setup and deployment projects. InstallShield Castrati is just a teaser to get you to buy an expensive project. WiX gives you a decent Visual Studio plugin, Votive, for native Windows installers. I am glad I am not on one of the teams held back to VS 2010 just because the lead devs did not want to learn how to deploy their own software.

5 years ago

Mark

it crashes more than ive ever seen in my life. I am finding it impossible to port my solution from VS 2010 to 2013. I will be recommending NOT upgrading to visual studio 2013 for the near future.

5 years ago

Dan

I've been running VS2013 on the following setup:

CPU: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU X5450 @ 3.00GHz 2.99 GHz

RAM: 8GB

OS: Win7 64bit

I've installed updates as they became available (update 2 took 2 hours on a speedy corporate network!), but have suffered constantly from hangs, where the interface became unresponsive for minutes. I disabled Mindscape Web Workbench and Web Essentials 2013 plug-ins, thinking these might be the cause, but the problem rears it's head periodically.